Chennai fish markets witness crowds ahead of East Coast fishing ban from April 15

Kasimedu and other fish markets in the city saw large crowds as customers flocked to buy fish in the last weekend before the annual fishing ban in the East Coast. The prices also shot up due to the demand with Lent coming to a close on Easter Sunday.

Kasimedu and other fish markets in the city saw large crowds as customers flocked to buy fish in the last weekend before the annual fishing ban in the East Coast. The prices also shot up due to the demand with Lent coming to a close on Easter Sunday.

Nanjil Ravi, of the Anaithu Meenavargal Sangam, said though the prices seemed high for the consumers, they were only nominal for the fishermen. “With diesel prices not coming down, many boats have remained on shore, which is also one reason for lower fish arrivals. On Sunday, sankara sold at ₹300/kg, vanjaram at ₹700/kg and crab at ₹350/kg. These prices are lesser than what has been sold at fishing harbours in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam and even Kerala and Karnataka, where vanjaram is sold for around ₹1,100/kg,” he said.

The fishing ban for mechanised boats, including gill netters and trawlers, commences from April 15 and lasts for 61 days. Traditional craft and motorised craft with engines that have 10 horsepower (HP) or less are permitted to fish during the ban since they do not venture beyond 5 nautical miles.

A fisherman of Nochikuppam said it was kanankeluthi and sankara season and the crowds were teeming in the market from Saturday. “We had crowds but not enough fish for them. Some boats went on second trips for other fish. We did not earn much either. On Sundays, we usually earned close to ₹1,000, but today, we got only ₹400 or so,” he said.

K. Bharathi, of the South Indian Fishermen Association, said an alternative fuel to diesel should be found for boats since many boat owners were suffering due to losses. “Single boat owners have not ventured out to the sea in over six months now. They also need better technologies providing information about fish catches. By the time the boats reach the spot, the fish move on,” he said.